Erzsebet Nagy Saar (SAAR), born in Hungary in 1974, is a Hungarian-Austrian artist renowned for her evocative abstract paintings.
She pursued Communication Design at the Werbeakademie Wien in Austria. In painting, she received training from Ludwig Baranyai within the circle of Professor Ernst Fuchs. Saar began with figurative works. People are the focus of her work, and she is particularly interested in faces: in addition to extraordinarily precise, delicate, and meticulously colored portraits, she also creates large-format paintings that resemble assemblages in their composition; faces embedded in textures and areas of color. In retrospect, these early works by Saar seem like an exploration of her own possibilities, until she decided in 2015 to turn to abstraction with painting materials, questions, and image solutions that were completely new to her. For SAAR, colors rarely convey symbolic messages, nor do they represent metaphors; rather, they are a simple medium through which the artist can express her sensual experiences.
The creative principle Saar applies in his painting is essentially what psychology would call “free association” and what the Surrealists, who were the first to call for the systematic application of this principle, called “psychic automatism.”
Anything that could dilute the perceived experience is discarded; Saar's painting emerges from the process of painting itself, without any preconceived concept.
SAAR's artistic motto is to give space to inner feelings, give form to the formless, and transfer personal truths onto the canvas for the outside world to see.
Numerous solo and group exhibitions in Austria, Switzerland, the United States, and Japan. Saar’s work has been featured in Parnass magazine and a television documentary on ORF III titled “Wa(h)re Kunst – Galleries and Their Artists.” Produced by Popup Media Filmproduction. In 2020, Saar was awarded a scholarship by the City of Vienna. Numerous works by Saar are in private collections, and since 2023, works have also been in the public collection of the Museum Angerlehner, Wels.
SAAR lives and works in Vienna and Alland, Austria.
Exhibitions
Upcoming
2026 Kleine Galerie LINDE WABER & SAAR Vienna
Past Exhibitions (selected)
2025 Der Geist des Ortes – Linde Waber und Weggefährten, Museum Angerlehner, Exhibition Participation Apr. 12– Oct. 5, Wels, Austria
On display are studio drawings by Linde Waber, which she drew at the studios of her artistic companions, together with works by these artists from the Angerlehner Collection, which enter into a direct dialogue with the studio drawings.
2025 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art “Saar Gravity” Solo Exhibition Opening by Dr. Lisa Ortner Kreil, art historian Curator and exhibition organizer at Kunstforum Wien, March 27 - May 3, Vienna
2024 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art LINDE WABER & SAAR "Időben also Zeitgerecht" An exhibition by two artists Opening by Hartwig Knack, curator Reading Bodo Hell, “Zeitkaskade” April 11 - June 9 Vienna
2023 Rondell Gallery Erzsebet Nagy SAAR I Gottfried Leitner SENSES Welcome: Johann Pirker BGM.Mag. Karlheinz Schuster About the exhibition: Roman Grabner Director Bruseum Universalmuseum Joanneum Graz September 30 - November 19 Schwanberg, Austria
2022 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Solo Exhibition SAAR- INNER SPACES Opening Hartwig Knack Apr 14 - Jun 4 Vienna
2020 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Solo Exhibition INTRODUCING ERZSEBET NAGY SAAR Opening Prof. Carl Aigner Jun 18 - Sep 12 Vienna
2019 Galerie Felix Höller Solo Exhibition FREQUENCY September 11 - November 2 Vienna
2018 Galerie Felix Höller Solo Exhibition INSIDE/OUT September 3 - October 13 Vienna
2018 Filmquartier Vienna Silent Loft Solo Exhibition Soiree INSIDE/OUT May 13 Vienna
2017 EGA Women Create the Future Solo Exhibition Opening Mag.a Renate Brauner Mar 4 - Apr 4 Vienna
2013 Haus Wittgenstein Solo Exhibition Begegnungen Opening Prof. Gerhard Habarta Jun 6-14 Vienna
Group Exhibitions (selected)
2025 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art - Summer in the City - A summer group exhibition with Joanna Gleich - Hans Hartung - Paul Jenkins - Alfred Klinkan - Gottfried Mairwöger - Peter Marquant - Joan Miró - Maria Moser - Saar - Hermann Staudinger - Pierre Soulages - Helmut Swoboda - Antoni Tápies - Jan Valik - Linde Waber June 26 - August 27, 2025
2024 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Abstract. Informel. Aktuell Jun.13– Aug. 24
2024 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Abstract on Paper I Feb. 1– Apr. 6 Vienna
2023 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Abstract on Paper II Feb. 16–Mar. 25 Vienna
2022 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Vorsicht Farbe Aug. 4– Sep. 24 Vienna
2022 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Abstract on Paper I Feb. 24– Apr. 9 Vienna
2021 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Aug. 5– Sep. 4 Vienna
2021 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Jun.31– Jul.3 Vienna
2021 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art May 3 – Jun. 5 Vienna
2021 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Mar. 18– Apr. 17 Vienna
2021 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art 5 YEARS GALERIE AMART Feb. 4– Mar. 13
2020 Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Sep 17– Nov 14 Vienna
2019 Galerie Felix Höller Jul 29 Vienna
2018 Galerie Felix Höller Dec 3– 23 Vienna
2018 Galerie Felix Höller Jul 30– Aug 30 Vienna
2018 Galerie Felix Höller Apr 8– 24 Vienna
2002 Baden, Frauenbad "Die Sammlung bei der Ernst Fuchs Pate stand”
Welcome Mayor Prof. August Breininger LAbg.a.D. About the exhibition Dr. Cornelia Cabuk Art historian A project by ISMAEL, cc, technical exhibition design: NÖART, Vienna, Jan 18 – Apr 14 Baden Austria
Art Fairs
2023 ART VIENNA International Art Fair Orangerie Schloss Schönbrunn Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Sep. 15- Sep. 17 Vienna, Austria
2022 ART VIENNA International Art Fair Orangerie Schloss Schönbrunn Galerie Amart Austrian Modern Art Sep. 16- Sep. 18 Vienna, Austria
2019 Swiss Art Expo The Art Festival SBB Eventhall Aug. 15-19 Zürich Switzerland
2015 Spectrum Miami, United States
2015 Art Expo New York, Galerie Basak Malone, United States
2015 TIAF Tokyo, Japan
Publications printed
2025 Exhibition catalog, Galerie Amart
2024 PARNASS Art Magazine 1/2024, page 165
2023 Aussichten/ Einsichten Interview Manon Nitsche mit Saar, Meisterschule/ die Grafische 2023/24
2023 Catalog, Galerie Amart
2023 Senses – an exhibition at the Rondell Gallery Bad Schwanberg that touches twice,Newspaper- Styria
2023 Catalog, Galerie Amart
2022 Exhibition catalog, Galerie Amart
2022 PARNASS Art Magazine 1/2022, page 178
2022 Exhibition catalog, Galerie Amart
2021 Exhibition catalog, Galerie Amart
2017 Encyclopedia of Fantastic Female Artists: Surrealists, Fantasts, Symbolists, Visionaries Prof. Gerhard Habarta
2017 Graphic "Handbuch vervielfältigende Kunst" Prof. Gerhard Habarta
2015 Exhibition catalog, Galerie Basak Malone
2015 Exhibition catalog, TIAF Tokyo
Articles online
2023 Steiermark Newspaper Senses
2022 PARNASS Kunstmagazin Saar Inner Spaces
2022 Les Nouveaux Riches Magazin "Malen ist wie eine Revolution ...
2021 PARNASS Kunstmagazin 5 Jahre Galerie Amart
2020 Art People Gallery
2019 JULIET Contemporary Art Magazine Gallery Felix Höller
2017 2 PARAGRAPHS Max Martin Can't Stop Listening to Chet Baker
2016 VIRTUOSO CHANNEL The 100 Top Arts and Culture News Stories You Need to Know
2016 Fubiz Media "Beautiful Juxtaposition on a Seashell"
2016 Art People Gallery
Interviews
2025 Gravity Interview von Ania Gleich mit Saar, Vienna
2023 Aussichten/ Einsichten Interview Manon Nitsche mit Saar, Meisterschule/ die Grafische 2023
2022 Inner Spaces Interview von Ania Gleich mit Saar, Vienna
Les Nouveaux Riches Magazin "Malen ist wie eine Revolution, die in dir stattfindet
Literaturoutdoors
2020 Walter Pobaschnig
Vision und Aufgabe von Mensch und Kunst in Zeiten der Pandemie Wien
2019 Walter Pobaschnig
"Kunst ist die Freiheit da zu sein wo man sein will" Station bei Bachmann Wien